Washington Wizards owner Abe Pollin, in his first public remarks since issuing a statement declaring his intent to not re-hire Michael Jordan to the team's front office, said tonight he has interviewed candidates to replace Jordan and that the Jordan era is in the past.

"We are talking to the future," Pollin said at a news conference after learning the outcome of the NBA draft lottery landed the Wizards the 10th overall pick. "We have great hopes of this franchise for the future and we are not talking about the past. I will only say one thing about the past and that is, I have never said anything negative about Michael Jordan and I never will and that closes the book on that."

Pollin severed ties with Jordan in a heated 18-minute meeting May 7 in which Pollin told Jordan he did not want him back as the team's president of basketball operations, a post Jordan held from January 2000 to September 2001.